A Spicy Situation
by HighlanderOTB
Summary: Fraser and Ray K. come to Toronto and work on a murder investigation.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Remind me again why we're up here in Toronto?" Ray asked.

Detective Ray Kowalski of the Chicago P.D. was at the wheel of his black GTO driving southbound on Yonge Street. In the passenger seat was his best friend and running buddy, Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Fraser's trusted companion, Diefenbaker, was riding in the back.

"Inspector Thatcher is the guest of honour at a function, commemorating her intelligence work with CSIS," Fraser replied.

"The Ice Queen's being honoured," Ray blinked in disbelief. "You'd think they'd do it at the big governmental conference hall thingy."

"That's a common misconception, Ray," Fraser explained. "While Toronto is Canada's largest city, its nation's capital is Ottawa; about another 4-1/2 hour drive east of here. And while the National Congress Centre is there, CSIS for some reason felt it was better to host the event at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre."

"Which still doesn't explain why you asked me to drive you and Dief for 12 hours to this thing when you could have easily flown here in a fraction of the time," Ray complained.

"Well for some reason Air Canada has become real sticklers about allowing pets to travel on their aircraft. Plus throw in the fact there's no guarantee we'd be on the same flight, this was the only way to make sure we'd arrive together," Fraser reasoned.

"I better be reimbursed for the gas money then," Ray demanded.

"Don't be silly, Ray," Fraser reassured, "I'll pay you as soon as I get my next stipend."

The GTO approached an office tower where a bunch of police cars were stationed outside of. The commotion caused Dief to bark in an attempt to get Ray and Fraser's attention.

"Perhaps we should investigate," Fraser suggested after noticing the gathering.

"Fraser, the police are already there," Ray attempted to rationalize. "They're probably interviewing witnesses as we speak."

Fraser, never one to listen to Ray's reasoning, opened the car door and leapt into action with Dief following close behind.

"Fraser!" Ray called out, but to no avail. The Mountie and wolf bolted into the office tower. Ray begrudgingly parked the GTO and followed them inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Fraser, Ray, and Dief made their way to the 10th floor of the building to the offices of Morgan and Associates. They were met by a secretary who was being interviewed by a detective.

"Excuse us," Fraser enquired, "my apologies for intruding, but what has happened?"

"And you would be?" the detective asked.

Fraser offered his hand, "Constable Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And this is my associate, Detective Ray Kowalski of the Chicago P.D."

The detective shook Fraser's hand, "I'm detective Bill Dubreuil of the Toronto Police. I was in the process of interviewing… what did you say your name was again?"

"Angela," the secretary replied. "Angela Fitzgerald." She was transfixed on the Mountie. Ray just had to roll his eyes at another woman fawning over Fraser.

"Anyway," Detective Dubreuil continued, "Ms. Fitzgerald was telling me about a murder that happened earlier."

"Was it the case of a disgruntled co-worker?" Ray quizzed.

"Oh no," Angela stated. "Mr. Crawford, the victim, was conducting interviews for a new Administrative Assistant because I'm going on maternity leave in a couple months. I went to check on him because it had been a while since the last candidate left, and when I went into his office, that's when I found he had been stabbed to death."

"Stabbed to death?" Fraser asked, "Is there any sign of the murder weapon?"

"I didn't notice one being left behind," Angela answered. "I saw him dead in a pool of blood and I immediately called the police."

"Hmm," Dubreuil mused.

"Something wrong, Detective," Fraser asked.

"Sounds like Marsala's back to her old ways," Dubreuil replied.

"Wait, _her_ ways?" Ray asked astonished. "A woman is the possible killer?"

"Yes, Detective Kowalski," Dubreuil confirmed. "About a year ago, we had a string of mass murders where companies interviewing candidates for Administrative Assistant positions ended up being murdered after one particular woman had been interviewed. Cynnamon Marsala was her name. By the time we took her in, she ended up killing three interviewers, a rival applicant, her neighbour, and her boyfriend. She was set to be locked up for years, but it was deemed she was psychologically unstable. So because of that defence, she was sent to the Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre in Whitby as part of their Forensic Psychiatry program."

"Isn't that a little flawed?" Ray inquired. "The woman killed six people and she got off on an insanity plea?"

"The human mind can be quite complex, Ray," Fraser explained. "In some people, there is a chemical imbalance in the brain that can cause them to act irrationally. It appears in the case of Ms. Marsala, her psychotic behaviour is triggered whenever she feels rejected to the point where she feels the need to lash out at those who have wronged her."

"Exactly, Constable," Dubreuil confirmed, "you've got her psychological profile down pact."

"Thank you kindly, Detective," Fraser commented. "As part of another case, I spent time at a mental hospital, so I know how some people can be."

"I'm surprised they didn't keep you in longer," Ray quipped.

"Inspector Thatcher thought that quite a bit," the Mountie responded. "Personally I thought Constable Turnbull should be the one committed, but that's not important right now. The fact of the matter is there is a psychopathic killer roaming the streets, and I feel its best if we can assist Detective Dubreuil in trying to track down Ms. Marsala."

"You don't really have to do that, Constable," Dubreuil hesitated. "I'm sure we can handle things on our end."

"Trust me, Bill," Ray interjected, "with Fraser he'll do practically anything to help solve a case. It's like some sort of Boy Scout mentality he has."

"Well, I could use a couple extra hands," Dubreuil debated.

Hearing this, made Dief whine. Fraser turned to him and said, "Oh I'm sure he meant you could help out too."

"Is that an actual husky?" Dubreuil asked.

"Actually, he's my wolf," Fraser corrected. "He's been with me ever since he helped me escape a mine shaft in the Territories. The only problem is he's deaf."

"I hope he's had his shots then," Dubreuil said. "We could use a police dog on this case."

"I'm sure Diefenbaker will be glad to help out then," Fraser responded. Dief barked in glee.

Dubreuil gave Angela his card in case any new developments came up, then turned to leave with Fraser, Ray, and Dief. Although he thought the concept of having a Mountie, an out-of-town cop, and a wolf aiding in the case was out of the ordinary, Dubreuil believed having extra men on the job would be beneficial. Little did he realise how out of the ordinary Fraser can be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Cynnamon Marsala returned to her apartment in Toronto's west end after the murder of Mr. Crawford at Morgan and Associates. She removed the murder weapon, a bloodied letter opener in the shape of a small broadsword from her attaché case and began to cleanse it; removing any trace DNA evidence from it. She sighed as she saw herself returning to her old ways. Cynnamon thought she had beaten this problem, but it would appear it was still buried within her psyche.

"Couldn't handle the rejection again, huh?" a male voice enquired.

Cynnamon turned away from the sink and looked at the ghostly figure sitting in her dining room. The ghost was that of the boyfriend she had murdered the year before, Chuck Michaels.

"I really thought I could cope with it this time, Chuck," she stated.

"What was the issue this time," he asked.

"The interviewer said that I was too much of a risk to hire," Cynnamon explained.

"Given your previous criminal history," Chuck noted, "I can see why some employers would be hesitant."

Cynnamon began to fume, "Oh, so that's it? Just because I murdered a few people, I don't deserve to be gainfully employed?"

"A few," Chuck shot back. "You slaughtered six people last year. One of which, I might add, was yours truly when you couldn't deal with a faulty car alarm on my Corolla."

"That dang car alarm woke me up from a wonderful dream I was having about us," Cynnamon reasoned. "Plus you know I'm not much of a morning person to begin with."

"Neither am I," the ghost retorted, "but you didn't have to react by rigging a bomb to it so when I started it, I became the former self you see before you now."

Cynnamon rolled her eyes at Chuck. Even after all this time, he hasn't let her forget that she was the one responsible for his demise.

Chuck continued, "And then there was the beating you gave your neighbour across the hall with a sledgehammer."

"He was cranking that heavy metal music way too loud for my liking," she defended.

"Still," he offered, "a noise complaint to the police would have sufficed."

Cynnamon retorted, "And have them discover all of the materials used in the car bomb, the pipe bomb in the soda can, the launcher for the rocket-propelled chainsaw, and the dagger? It was too much of a risk for them to enter my apartment and start snooping around."

"They wouldn't have found all that without a search warrant being obtained first, Cyn," Chuck explained. "Unfortunately, they obtained that after they brought you in for your initial questioning after my murder. The neighbour was a then, unrelated case. You could've saved some temporary face then without adding to the body count."

"I know, Chuck," Cynnamon sighed. "I'm just worried that I will never be able to be fully rehabilitated and find proper employment after I got out of Whitby."

"I hate to break it to you, babe," he consoled, "but when the police find out about this latest killing, I don't think you'll be going back to Whitby. The penitentiary in Kingston seems like where you might be headed."

Cynnamon sat down beside Chuck in the dining room and realised her deceased boyfriend was right. What she didn't realize was a wolf and a man in red serge was already on her trail.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Fraser and Ray entered an alley not far from where Cynnamon lived. Dief and Dubreuil were following close behind. It was a slightly impoverished neighbourhood with subsidized housing high-rise buildings towering over the landscape.

"Shouldn't we be searching Marsala's apartment, Constable," Dubreuil enquired.

"That would be the more logical option, Detective," Fraser replied. "However, without the benefit of a search warrant, any entry into Miss Marsala's unit would be illegal."

"So why are we here in the alley while Dubreuil could have called the justice of the peace and gotten a search warrant issued," Ray bemoaned.

"If I know the type of person Miss Marsala is," Fraser explained as he scoured the alley, "she might have disposed of some evidence en route to her apartment."

"What exactly is there to dispose," Ray questioned. "She probably kept the murder weapon for proper cleaning when she got home because we haven't seen any sign of it, and I highly doubt they make plastic cutlery durable enough to actually draw a sufficient amount of blood for a homicide."

Fraser noticed a bloodied wad of used facial tissue along the ground. He reached down to investigate it further.

"Fraser," Ray pleaded, "please tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to do with that."

The Mountie picked up the wad of tissue and licked the blood remnants on it which repulsed both Ray and Dubreuil.

"What the hell are you doing, Constable," Dubreuil demanded while trying to resist the urge to throw up.

"The blood sample on this tissue appears to be Type O-negative," Fraser commented. "Wasn't that the blood type of Mr. Crawford, Detective?"

"According to the Coroner's report, I believe it was," Dubreuil confirmed.

"Which doesn't explain why you had to put that in your mouth," Ray scolded. "This is possible evidence."

"Indeed it is, Ray," Fraser acknowledged. "I suspect Miss Marsala used this tissue to wipe the blood off of her fingertips after Mr. Crawford's murder. Normally, most people would discard such refuse at the first opportunity; however, it is possible she was going to dispose of it when she got into her apartment. Unfortunately, it appears it fell out of her pocket before she got that opportunity."

Dief started to sniff the evidence as if to investigate it himself.

"No Dief," Fraser warned, "there's no chocolate remnants on this, but we need to save it for the case file."

"I'll get a hold of the justice of the peace to get a search warrant of Marsala's apartment," Dubreuil responded. No telling what else she might have up there."

"If all we're concerned about is a sharp object used in a stabbing," Ray mused, "I doubt there's anything else in her unit."

"If you truly believe that, Detective Kowalski," Dubreuil said, "then you really don't know Cynnamon Marsala."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Cynnamon needed to get away from her apartment as she was getting the feeling the police were looming in the area. She didn't want to have another visit in front of a judge. She felt a temporary change of scenery was in order to clear her head, so she gave her brother, Sanjay, a call to arrange to meet for coffee.

They agreed to rendezvous at a coffee shop in Bloor West Village, an area of Toronto near where Sanjay lived. Cynnamon slipped away while Fraser and Ray were spending time with Dubreuil at the police station; going over details of her previous atrocities. While the Mountie and the Detectives were not currently lurking, Cynnamon still sensed they had been near.

Cynnamon arrived at the coffee shop on Bloor Street West near Runnymede where Sanjay was already waiting for her upstairs. The sight of her brother brought some relief to her.

"You look frazzled, sis," Sanjay observes as he hugged her.

"Is it that noticeable," Cynnamon asked in a worried tone.

"To say something is troubling you is quite evident," he confirmed. "What's eating you?"

"I'm concerned I might have a relapse," she confided. "I had an interview the other day and the whole time, in the back of my mind, I was worried that those feelings I had in the past would return."

"And have you had those feelings," Sanjay enquired.

Chuck appeared in the corner behind Sanjay and chimed in, "Does the phrase, 'stabby stabby' hold any meaning to you?"

Cynnamon attempted to ignore the ghost of her dead boyfriend and said to Sanjay, "They've entered my head, but I didn't act out on them."

"Yeah right," Chuck retorted. "You still have that wiring problem in your head, Cyn. And I don't think all of the psychiatric counselling can fix that."

Cynnamon was getting frustrated at Chuck's chiding, but she knew that she was the only one who could see him. She often wondered if there was anyone else who had the calamity of only seeing and hearing the ghost of a deceased loved one. Little did she realize there was, and he was hot on her trail.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Fraser and Ray were sitting in their hotel room; taking a breather from the hunt for Cynnamon. Detective Dubreuil had told them to retire for the night, but would call them if there were any new developments. Fraser sat in a chair in the corner of their room while Kowalski had the urge to stretch his legs.

"I don't know about you, Fraser," Ray said, "but helping solve the case of an escaped sociopath is not my idea of spending my vacation."

"I apologize for dragging you into this," Fraser consoled. "I didn't expect us to be working on a case while we were in Toronto."

"I didn't either," the Chicago detective interjected.

"Be it as it may," Fraser cited, "any assistance we can give Detective Dubreuil in apprehending Ms. Marsala would be appreciated."

Ray let out an exasperated sigh. He knew the Mountie was right, but always hated it when he was.

"I noticed there was a coffee shop around the corner when we were coming in," he told Benton. "Is there anything I can get you?

"I'll just have a plain tea," Fraser requested, "no milk or sugar."

"I'll see you in a bit," Ray acknowledged as he left the hotel room. Fraser leaned back in his chair and lightly scratched Dief behind his ear. The Mountie closed his eyes and thought about an old case where he was tracking a seal poacher across the frozen tundra of the Territories in an attempt to relate it to the search for Cynnamon. His dream would soon be interrupted by a familiar voice.

"On the hunt for another criminal, son?" the voice enquired.

Fraser opened his eyes and saw the ghostly spectre of his father.

"Apparently so, dad," the younger Fraser informed. "This one is an escaped serial killer who murders prospective employers when the interviews have gone awry."

"I had a case once that was almost similar to that," Fraser Sr. reminisced. "I was on the trail of someone who had slaughtered a massive herd of caribou; turns out they all drowned."

"How does that whole hydroelectric dam kickback scheme with Gerrard relate to this case," a puzzled Benton asked.

"Well, mass killings of living things; whether it was humans or animals," Fraser Sr. reasoned, "they're practically the same."

"Yes," the younger Fraser pointed out, "but in your case, it ended badly."

"No one said it was a perfect analogy," Bob defended. "At least in your case this suspect doesn't have any intent to kill you."

"Well no," Benton conceded, "but that doesn't mean she might not turn on me."

"Just be careful, son," the elder Fraser warned. "Unhinged women can be the most dangerous."

Ray re-entered the hotel room with two cardboard cups in his hand. "Talking to yourself again, Fraser?" he quizzed as he handed Benny his tea.

"Thank you kindly, Ray," the Mountie accepted the cup. "I was just trying to think about any previous cases that might relate to this one with Ms. Marsala."

Ray took a sip of his coffee and mused along with his partner.

"You know," Fraser said as he sat up in his chair, "Detective Dubreuil said that she has a brother. Perhaps we should ask him about her whereabouts."

"Or see if he knows anything about the latest killing," Ray added.

"I was thinking about that," the Mountie added, "but for all we know, he could be protecting her."

"That's where you come in," Kowalski observed. "You have a knack for picking up on these things, Fraser. You can tell based on his body language if he knows something."

"You better get Detective Dubreuil on the phone and tell him we will meet him at Ms. Marsala's brother's place," Fraser concluded. He then turned to Dief and called for him to come along. The wolf was hesitant at first.

"Diefenbaker," Fraser scolded, "I know we just got settled, but we would appreciate it if you'd join us."

Begrudgingly, Dief joined Fraser and Ray as they left the hotel room for the GTO.


End file.
